tc.redstormrising-第116节

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icepack。
〃Good　luck；　chaps；〃　her　captain　breathed。
〃They　should　get　in　all　right。〃
〃It's　not　getting　in　that　I'm　worried　about；　Jimmy；〃　the　captain　replied；　using　the　traditional　name　for　a　British　sub's　first　officer。　〃The　ticklish　part's　getting　back　out。〃

STORNOWAY；　SCOTLAND
〃Telex　for　you；　mander。〃　An　RAF　sergeant　handed　the　message　form　over　to　Toland。
〃Thank　you。〃　He　scanned　the　form。
〃Leaving　us？〃　Group　Captain　Mallory　asked。
〃They　want　me　to　fly　down　to　Northwood。　That's　right　outside　London；　isn't　it？〃
Mallory　nodded。　〃No　problem　getting　you　there。〃
〃That's　nice。　It　says　'immediate。'〃

NORTHWOOD；　ENGLAND
He'd　been　to　England　many　times；　all　on　business　with　his　opposite　numbers　at　Government　munications　Headquarters　outside　Cheltenham。　His　flights　always　seemed　to　arrive　at　night。　He　was　flying　at　night　now；　and　something　was　wrong。　Something　obvious　。　。　。
Blackout。　There　were　few　lights　below。　Did　that　really　matter　now　that　aircraft　had　sophisticated　navigation　aids；　or　was　it　mainly　a　psychological　move　to　remind　the　people　of　what　was　going　on？　If　the　continuous　television　coverage；　some　of　it　〃live〃　from　the　battlefront；　didn't　do　that　already。　Toland　had　been　spared　most　of　that。　Like　most　men　in　uniform；　he　had　no　time　for　the　big　picture　while　he　concentrated　on　his　little　corner　of　it。　He　imagined　it　was　the　same　for　Ed　Morris　and　Danny　McCafferty；　then　realized　this　was　the　first　time　he'd　thought　of　them　in　over　a　week。　How　were　they　doing？　They　were　certainly　more　exposed　to　danger　than　he　was　at　the　moment；　though　his　experience　on　Nimitz　the　second　day　of　the　war　had　given　him　enough　terror　to　last　the　remainder　of　his　life。　Toland　did　not　yet　know　that　with　a　routine　telex　message　sent　a　week　before；　he　would　directly　affect　their　lives　for　the　second　time　this　year。
The　Boeing　737　airliner　touched　down　ten　minutes　later。　Only　twenty　people　were　aboard；　almost　all　of　them　in　uniform。　Toland　was　met　by　a　car　and　a　driver　which　sped　him　off　to　Northwood。
〃You're　mander　Toland？〃　a　Royal　Navy　lieutenant　asked。　〃Please　e　with　me；　sir。　EASTLANT　wants　to　see　you。〃
He　found　Admiral　Sir　Charles　Beattie　chewing　on　an　unlit　pipe　in　front　of　a　huge　map　of　the　eastern　and　northern　Atlantic。
〃mander　Toland；　sir。〃
〃Thank　you；〃　the　Admiral　said　without　turning。　〃Tea　and　coffee　in　the　corner；　mander。〃
Toland　availed　himself　of　the　tea。　He　drank　it　only　in　the　U。K。；　and　after　several　weeks　he　found　himself　wondering　why　he　didn't　have　it　at　home。
〃Your　Tomcats　have　done　well　up　in　Scotland；〃　Beattie　said。
〃It　was　the　aerial　radar　that　made　the　real　difference；　sir。　More　than　half　the　kills　were　made　by　the　RAF。〃
〃Last　week　you　sent　a　message　to　our　air　operations　chaps　to　the　effect　that　your　Tomcats　were　able　to　track　Backfires　visually　at　very　long　range。〃
It　took　Toland　a　few　seconds　to　remember　it。　〃Oh；　yes。　It's　the　video…camera　system　they　have；　Admiral。　It's　designed　to　identify　fighter…size　aircraft　at　thirty　miles　or　so。　Tracking　something　as　big　as　a　Backfire　they　can　do　at　fifty　or　so　if　the　weather's　good。〃
〃And　the　Backfires　would　not　know　they　were　there？〃
〃Not　likely；　sir。〃
〃How　far　could　they　follow　a　Backfire？〃
〃That's　a　question　for　a　driver；　sir。　With　tanker　support；　we　can　keep　a　Tomcat　aloft　for　almost　four　hours。　Two　hours　each　way；　that　would　take　them　almost　all　the　way　home。〃
Beattie　turned　to　face　Toland　for　the　first　time。　Sir　Charles　was　a　former　aviator　himself；　last　mander　of　the　old　Ark　Royal；　Britain's　last　real　carrier。　〃How　sure　are　you　of　Ivan's　operating　airfields？〃
〃For　the　Backfires；　sir？　They　operate　from　the　four　airfields　around　Kirovsk。　I　would　presume　you　have　satellite　photos　of　the　places；　sir。〃
〃Here。〃　Beattie　handed　him　a　folder。
There　was　a　degree　of　unreality　to　this；　Toland　thought。　Four…star　admirals　didn't　chew　the　fat　with　newly　frocked　manders　unless　they　had　nothing　better　to　do；　and　Beattie　had　lots　of　things　to　do。　Bob　opened　the　folder。
〃Oh。〃　He　looked　at　a　photo　set　for　Umbozero；　the　field　east　of　Kirovsk。　There'd　been　lit　smokepots　during　the　satellite　pass；　and　the　resulting　black　smoke　had　pletely　hidden　the　runways　to　visual　light；　with　flares　messing　up　the　infrared　imaging　systems　as　well。　〃Well；　there　are　the　hardened　shelters；　and　maybe　three　aircraft。　Was　this　taken　during　a　raid？〃
〃Correct。　Very　good；　mander。　The　Backfire　force　left　the　airfield　three　hours　before　the　satellite　pass。〃
〃Trucks；　too…fuel　bowsers？〃　He　got　a　nod。　〃They　refuel　them　right　after　they　land？〃
〃We　think　yes；　before　they　get　into　the　shelters。　Evidently　they　don't　like　the　idea　of　fueling　inside　a　building。　Seems　reasonable　enough。　Ivan's　had　problems　with　accidental　explosions　the　last　few　years。〃
Toland　nodded；　remembering　the　explosion　at　the　main　ordnance　storage　facility　for　the　Russian　Northern　Fleet　in　1984。　〃Be　a　hell　of　a　nice　time　to　catch　them　on　the　ground…but　we　don't　have　any　tactical　aircraft　that'll　reach　nearly　that　far。　B…52s　could　do　it；　but　they'd　be　murdered。　We　learned　that　over　Iceland。〃
〃But　a　Tomcat　could　trail　the　Backfires　nearly　to　the　Russian　doorstep；　and　that　could　allow　you　to　predict　exactly　when　they'll　land？〃　Sir　Charles　persisted。
Toland　looked　at　the　map。　The　Backfires　reentered　Russian　fighter　cover　about　thirty　minutes；　flying　time　from　their　home　bases。
〃Plus　or　minus　fifteen　minutes　。　。　。　yes；　Admiral；　I　think　we　can　do　that。　I　wonder　how　long　it　takes　to　refuel　a　Backfire。〃　There　was　a　lot　of　thinking　going　on　behind　those　blue　eyes；　Toland　saw。
〃mander；　my　operations　officer　will　brief　you　on　something　called　Operation　Doolittle。　We　named　it　after　one　of　your　chaps　as　a　clever　bit　of　subterfuge　to　weasel　the　assets　from　your　navy。　For　the　moment；　this　information　is　eyes…only　to　you。　Be　back　here　in　an　hour。　I　want　your　evaluation　of　how　we　can　improve　the　basic　operational　concept。〃
〃Yes；　sir。〃

USS　REUBEN　JAMES
They　were　in　New　York　harbor。　O'Malley　was　in　the　wardroom　finishing　up　the　written　account　of　the　destruction　of　the　Soviet　submarine　when　the　growler　phone　on　the　port　bulkhead　started　making　noise。　He　looked　up　and　discovered　he　was　the　only　officer　in　the　room。　That　meant　he　had　to　answer　it。
〃Wardroom。　Lieutenant　mander　O'Malley。〃
〃Battleaxe　here。　May　I　please　speak　to　your　CO？〃
〃He's　taking　a　nap。　Can　I　help　you；　or　is　it　important？〃
〃If　he's　not　too　busy；　the　captain　wishes　to　invite　him　to　dinner。　Half　an　hour　from　now。　Your　XO　and　helicopter　pilot　also　if　he's　available。〃
The　pilot　laughed。　〃The　XO's　on　the　beach；　but　the　helo　driver's　available　if　the　Queen's　ships　are　still　wet。〃
〃Indeed　we　are；　mander。〃
〃Okay。　I'll　go　wake　him　up。　Be　back　to　you　in　a　few　minutes。〃　O'Malley　hung　up　and　went　out　the　door。　He　bumped　into　Willy。
〃Excuse　me；　sir。　The　torpedo…loading　practice？〃
〃Okay；　I'm　going　to　see　the　skipper　anyway。〃　Willy　had　plained　that　the　last　practice　had　gone　a　little　slow。　He　handed　the　petty　officer　his　report。　〃Take　this　down　to　the　ship's　office　and　tell　'em　to　type　it　up。〃
O'Malley　went　forward　and　found　the　door　to　the　captain's　stateroom　closed；　but　the　do…not…disturb　light　was　switched　off。　He　knocked　and　went　in。　The　noise　surprised　him。
〃Don't　you　see　it！〃　The　words　came　out　as　a　gasp。　Morris　was　lying　on　his　back；　his　hands　balled　into　fists　on　the　blanket。　His　face　was　covered　in　sweat　and　he　breathed　like　a　man　finishing　a　marathon。
〃Jesus。〃　O'Malley　hesitated。　He　didn't　really　know　the　man。
〃Look　out！〃　This　was　louder；　and　the　pilot　wondered　if　anyone　in　the　passageway　outside　might　hear　it　and　wonder　if　the　captain　were…he　had　to　do　something。
〃Wake　up；　Captain！〃　Jerry　grabbed　Morris　by　the　shoulders　and　lifted　him　up　into　a　sitting　position。
〃Don't　you　see　it！〃　Morris　shouted；　still　not　really　awake。
〃Settle　down；　pal。　You're　tied　to　the　pier　in　New　York　harbor。　You're　safe。　The　ship　is　safe。　e　around；　Captain。　It's　okay。〃　Morris　blinked　his　eyes　about　ten　times。　He　saw　O'Malley's　face　about　six　inches　away。
〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　here？〃
〃Glad　I　came。　You　all　right？〃　The　pilot　lit　a　cigarette　and　handed　it　to　the　captain。
Morris　refused　it　and　stood。　He　walked　to　his　basin　and　got　a　glass　of　water。　〃Just　a　dumb　dream。　What　do　you　want？〃
〃We've　been　invited　out　to　dinner　next　door　in　half　an　hour…I　guess　a　reward　for　giving　them　the　Victor。　Also；　I'd　like　your　deck　crew　to　practice　loading　torps　on　my　bird。　Last　time　was　a　little　slow；　my　petty　says。〃
〃When　do　you　want　'em　to　do　it？〃
〃Soon　as　it　gets　dark；　Captain。　Better　they　should　learn　it　the　hard　way。〃
〃Okay。　Half　an　hour　on　dinner？〃
〃Yes；　sir。　Be　nice　to　have　a　drink。〃
Morris　smiled　without　much　enthusiasm。　〃Guess　it　would。　I'll　wash　up。　Meet　you　in　the　wardroom。　This　thing　formal？〃
〃They　didn't　say　so。　I　wasn't　planning　to　change；　if　that's　all　right　with　you；　skipper。〃　O'Malley　was　wearing　his　flight　suit。　He　got　lonely　without　all　the　pockets。
〃Twenty　minutes。〃
O'Malley　went　to　his　stateroom　and　ran　a　cloth　over　his　flight　boots。　The　flight　suit　was　new；　and　he　figured　that　was　dressy　enough。　Morris　worried　him。　The　man　might　e　apart；　not　something　that　should　happen　to　a　manding　officer。　That　made　it　partly　his　problem。　Besides；　O'Malley　told　himself；　he's　a　pretty　good